Articles of footwear with wear-resistant toe shield and manufacturing processes for making the same

ABSTRACT

Presented are wear-resistant polymeric shields for reinforcing segments of footwear, methods for making/using such shields, and shoes with a high-strength, abrasion-resistant thermoplastic toe shield covering the shoe&#39;s front face. An athletic shoe includes an upper with an outer shell that receives a user&#39;s foot. A forefoot region of the upper&#39;s outer shell includes a toe box, while the forefoot and midfoot regions include a vamp. A sole structure is attached to the upper to support the user&#39;s foot. The sole structure includes a ground-engaging outsole and an outer-perimeter sidewall. A toe shield is bonded to and projects from outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure. The toe shield is a single-piece structure fabricated from an abrasion-resistant, flexible thermoplastic copolymer. The toe shield may extend across forward portions of the vamp and toe box, a forward portion of the sole&#39;s sidewall, and a forward edge of the outsole&#39;s ground-facing surface.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY AND CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/725,670, which was filed on Aug. 31, 2018, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to articles of footwear. More specifically, aspects of this disclosure relate to athletic shoes with wear-resistant elements for reinforcing select segments of the shoe.

BACKGROUND

Articles of footwear, such as shoes, boots, slippers, sandals, and the like, are generally composed of two primary elements: an upper for securing the footwear to a user's foot; and a sole for providing subjacent support to the foot. Uppers may be fabricated from a variety of materials, including textiles, foams, polymers, natural and synthetic leathers, etc., that are stitched or bonded together to form a shell or harness for securely receiving a foot. Many sandals and slippers have an upper with an open toe or heel construction, with some designs incorporating an upper that is limited to a series of straps extending over the instep and, optionally, around the ankle. Conversely, boot and shoe designs employ a full upper with a closed toe and heel construction that encases the foot. An ankle opening through a rear quarter portion of the footwear provides access to the footwear's interior, facilitating entry and removal of the foot into and from the upper. A shoelace or strap may be utilized to secure the foot within the upper.

A sole structure is generally attached to the underside of the upper, positioned between the user's foot and the ground. In many articles of footwear, including athletic shoes and boots, the sole structure is a layered construction that generally incorporates a comfort-enhancing insole, an impact-mitigating midsole, and a surface-contacting outsole. The insole, which may be located partially or entirely within the upper, is a thin and compressible member that provides a contact surface for the underside “plantar” region of the user's foot. By comparison, the midsole is mounted underneath the insole, forming a middle layer of the sole structure. In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces, the midsole may help to control foot motion and impart enhanced stability. Secured underneath the midsole is an outsole that forms the ground-contacting portion of the footwear. The outsole is usually fashioned from a durable, waterproof material that includes tread patterns engineered to improve traction.

SUMMARY

Presented herein are wear-resistant polymeric shields for reinforcing select segments of an article of footwear, methods for making and methods for using such shields/footwear, and athletic shoes with a high-strength, flexible, and abrasion-resistant thermoplastic toe shield that reinforces the front face of the shoe. By way of example, there is presented an injection molded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) toe shield for reinforcing the toe box and toe bumper of an athletic shoe. According to a representative configuration, the toe shield is an integrally formed, single-piece construction that extends across and covers a forward portion of the vamp, the toe box and toe bumper, and a forward ground-facing surface of the outsole. In at least some implementations, the toe shield replaces the toe cap and toe bumper; alternatively, the toe shield may seat against and mount on the toe cap and toe bumper. For some applications, one or more aesthetic characteristics of the toe shield (e.g., color, shape, size, text, graphics, etc.) may be customized to a desired visual appearance of an individual end user. As yet a further option, the athletic shoe may be stock equipped with the toe shield; alternatively, the toe shield me be fabricated separately from, and subsequently retrofit onto an existing shoe. While the TPU toe shield has particular applicability to a cleated athletic shoe for a baseball pitcher, it is envisioned that this feature may be incorporated into other shoe constructions, including tennis shoes, skateboarding shoes, work boots, safety shoes, etc.

Aspects of this disclosure are directed to articles of footwear with one or more wear-resistant polymeric shields for reinforcing select segments of the footwear. In an example, an article of footwear includes an upper that attaches to a foot of a user, and a sole structure that is attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. One or more polymeric shields extend across and project outboard from outward-facing portions of both the upper and sole structure. Each polymeric shield is fabricated, in whole or in part, from an abrasion-resistant, flexible copolymer. A polymeric shield may be mounted on the front face of the footwear, covering a forward area of the vamp, the toe box, a front area of the midsole, and a downward-facing edge of the outsole. Optionally, a polymeric shield may be mounted to other select segments of the footwear, such as the heel counter of the upper and a heel section of the sole, the outside quarter of the upper and a lateral section of the sole's sidewall, and/or the inside quarter of the upper and a medial section of the sole's sidewall.

In another example, an athletic shoe is presented that includes an upper with an outer shell that encases therein and attaches to a user's foot. The outer shell includes adjoining forefoot, midfoot and hindfoot regions, where the forefoot region includes a toe box, the forefoot and midfoot regions include a vamp, and the hindfoot region includes a heel counter. A single-piece or multi-layer sole structure is attached to a lower portion of the upper, providing subjacent supports for the user's foot. The sole structure includes a bottom-most outsole with a ground-facing surface, as well as a sidewall that defines the sole's outer perimeter. A polymeric toe shield is bonded to and projects outboard from outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure. The toe shield is fabricated as an integrally formed, single-piece structure from an abrasion-resistant, flexible thermoplastic copolymer. The polymeric toe shield extends across and covers at least a forward (cap line) portion of the vamp, most or all of the toe box, a forward (bumper) portion of the sole's sidewall, and a forward arcuate edge of the outsole's ground-facing surface.

Additional aspects of this disclosure are directed to methods for manufacturing and methods for using any of the disclosed footwear and/or polymeric shields. In an example, a method is presented for manufacturing an article of footwear. This representative method includes, in any order and in any combination with any of the above or below disclosed features and options: providing an upper configured to attach to a foot of a user; attaching a sole structure to the upper, the sole structure being configured to support thereon the foot of the user; and positioning a polymeric shield to extend across and project from outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure, the polymeric shield including an abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material. The method may also include: receiving, via a resident manufacturing system processor over a distributed computing network from a remote personal computing device of an end user, a user selection of a visual attribute of the polymeric shield; and forming the polymeric shield to include the visual attribute. As yet another option, the method may also include: laser scanning the upper and sole structure to determine topographical characteristics of the outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure; and forming the polymeric shield with an interior surface having surface characteristics complementary to the topographical characteristics of the outward-facing portions of the upper and sole.

For any of the disclosed footwear, protective shields, and methods, the toe box is located at the front end of the upper's forefoot region, spanning transversely to cover all phalanges toe bones. In this instance, the polymeric shield is shaped and sized to extend across and cover the entire toe box (e.g., spanning all five sets of phalanges) or, if desired, only a select area of the toe box (e.g., spanning only the distal and middle phalanges of sets two through five and the distal and proximal phalanges of set one). For at least some applications, the vamp is located at the rear end of the upper's forefoot region, spanning aft across most or all of the midfoot region. In this instance, the polymeric shield is shaped and sized to extend across and cover at least a forward portion of the vamp (e.g., extending fore and aft from the first distal phalanx, over the first plantar ligament, to the first metatarsal bone). As another option, the sole structure's sidewall extends continuously around the forefoot, midfoot and hindfoot regions. In this instance, the polymeric shield is shaped and sized to extend transversely across and cover at least a forward portion of the sole sidewall. The polymeric shield is also shaped and sized to extend across and cover a forward portion of the outsole's ground-facing surface.

For any of the disclosed footwear, protective shields, and methods, the polymeric shield may consist essentially of a single-piece, unitary structure. In this instance, the polymeric shield includes an elongated, cup-shaped main body with a pair of arcuate “wing shaped” flanges, each of which projects from an opposing lateral side of the main body. For some applications, the first arcuate flange has a distinct length and height, and the second arcuate flange has a distinct length and height that are smaller than the length and height, respectively, of the first arcuate flange. In the same vein, the first arcuate flange may have a depth that is greater than a depth of the second arcuate flange. The polymeric shield may also be fabricated with a U-shaped flange that projects from an arched lower edge of the shield that is common to the main body and the arcuate flanges.

For any of the disclosed footwear, protective shields, and methods, the polymeric shield may be attached to the sole structure and upper via stitching, fastening, adhesive bonding, and/or welding. As yet a further option, the polymeric shield may be injection molded in its entirety from an abrasion-resistant TPU. It may be desirable to fabricate the sole's sidewall with a first polymeric material having a first abrasion rate; the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the shield has a second abrasion rate that is less than the first abrasion rate, e.g., by at least 20-30%. The toe box section of the upper may be formed from a leather, textile and/or polymeric material that is distinct from the polymeric materials used for the sole's sidewall and the polymeric shield. For at least some applications, the interior surface of the shield is secured to the outward-facing portions of the sole structure and upper, whereas the shield's exterior surface has a laser-etched graphic and/or text.

The above summary is not intended to represent every embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing summary merely provides an exemplification of some of the novel concepts and features set forth herein. The above features and advantages, and other features and attendant advantages of this disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of illustrated examples and representative modes for carrying out the present disclosure when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. Moreover, this disclosure expressly includes any and all combinations and subcombinations of the elements and features presented above and below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a lateral side-view illustration of a representative article of footwear with a wear-resistant polymeric shield for reinforcing a select segment of the footwear in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom-view illustration of the representative article of footwear and wear-resistant polymeric shield of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevated, medial perspective-view illustration of a representative athletic shoe with a high-strength, abrasion-resistant thermoplastic toe shield in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an elevated, lateral perspective-view illustration of the forefoot region of the representative athletic shoe with thermoplastic toe shield of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective-view illustration of the forefoot region of the representative athletic shoe with thermoplastic toe shield of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an elevated, medial perspective-view illustration of a representative injection molded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) toe shield for an article of footwear in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an elevated, rear perspective-view illustration of the representative TPU toe shield of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective-view illustration of the representative TPU toe shield of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is an elevated, front perspective-view illustration of another representative athletic shoe with another wear-resistant toe shield in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is an elevated, front perspective-view illustration of yet another representative athletic shoe with yet another wear-resistant toe shield in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms. Novel aspects of this disclosure are not limited to the particular forms illustrated in the above-enumerated drawings. Rather, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, combinations, subcombinations, permutations, groupings, and alternatives falling within the scope of this disclosure as encompassed by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. Representative embodiments of the disclosure are shown in the drawings and described herein in detail with the understanding that these demonstrative examples are provided as an exemplification of the disclosed principles, not limitations of the broad aspects of the disclosure. To that extent, elements and limitations that are described in the Abstract, Technical Field, Background, Summary, and Detailed Description sections, but not explicitly set forth in the claims, should not be incorporated into the claims, singly or collectively, by implication, inference, or otherwise.

For purposes of the present detailed description, unless specifically disclaimed: the singular includes the plural and vice versa; the words “and” and “or” shall be both conjunctive and disjunctive; the words “any” and “all” shall both mean “any and all”; and the words “including,” “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and the like shall each mean “including without limitation.” Moreover, words of approximation, such as “about,” “almost,” “substantially,” “generally,” “approximately,” and the like, may be used herein in the sense of “at, near, or nearly at,” or “within 0-5% of,” or “within acceptable manufacturing tolerances,” or any logical combination thereof, for example. Lastly, directional adjectives and adverbs, such as fore, aft, medial, lateral, proximal, distal, vertical, horizontal, front, back, left, right, etc., may be with respect to an article of footwear when worn on a user's foot and operatively oriented with a ground-engaging portion of the sole structure seated on a flat surface, for example.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like features throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a representative article of footwear, which is designated generally at 10 and portrayed herein for purposes of discussion as an athletic shoe or “sneaker.” Mounted at a forward end of the footwear 10, e.g., spanning across and covering the front face of the shoe, extending from the outsole to the vamp, is a high-strength, flexible, and wear-resistant polymeric shield 30. The illustrated articles of footwear—also referred to herein as “footwear” or “shoe” for brevity—are merely exemplary applications with which novel aspects and features of this disclosure may be practiced. In the same vein, implementation of the present concepts for injection molded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) toe shields that reinforce the front face of a shoe should also be appreciated as representative implementations of the disclosed concepts. It will therefore be understood that aspects and features of this disclosure may be utilized for polymeric shields with other chemical makeups, designs, and locations, and may be incorporated into any logically relevant type of footwear. Lastly, features presented in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and are provided purely for instructional purposes. Thus, the specific and relative dimensions shown in the drawings are not to be construed as limiting.

The representative article of footwear 10 is generally depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a bipartite construction that is primarily composed of a foot-receiving upper 12 mounted on top of a subjacent sole structure 14. For ease of reference, footwear 10 may be divided into three anatomical regions: a forefoot region R_(FF), a midfoot region R_(MF), and a hindfoot (heel) region R_(HF), as shown in FIG. 2. Footwear 10 may also be divided along a vertical plane into a lateral segment S_(LA)—a distal half of the shoe 10 farthest from the sagittal plane of the human body—and a medial segment S_(ME)—a proximal half of the shoe 10 closest to the sagittal plane of the human body. In accordance with recognized anatomical classification, the forefoot region R_(FF) is located at the front of the footwear 10 and generally corresponds with the phalanges (toes), metatarsals, and any interconnecting joints thereof. Interposed between the forefoot and hindfoot regions R_(FF) and R_(HF) is the midfoot region R_(MF), which generally corresponds with the cuneiform, navicular and cuboid bones (i.e., the arch area of the foot). Heel region R_(HF), in contrast, is located at the rear of the footwear 10 and generally corresponds with the talus and calcaneus bones. Both lateral and medial segments S_(LA) and S_(ME) of the footwear 10 extend through all three anatomical regions R_(FF), R_(MF), R_(HF), and each corresponds to a respective transverse side of the footwear 10. While only a single shoe 10 for a left foot of a user is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a mirrored, substantially identical counterpart for a right foot of a user may be provided. Recognizably, the shape, size, material composition, and method of manufacture of the shoe 10 may be varied, singly or collectively, to accommodate practically any conventional or nonconventional application.

With reference again to FIG. 1, the upper 12 is depicted as having a shell-like, closed toe and heel configuration for encasing a human foot. Upper 12 is generally defined by three adjoining sections: a toe box 12A—a rounded forward tip of the upper 12 that extends from distal to proximal phalanges to cover and protect the toes; a vamp 12B—an arched midsection of the upper 12 that is located aft of the toe box 12A and extends from the metatarsals to the cuboid, around the instep, lace eyelets 16 and tongue 18; and a rear quarter 12C—a curved section positioned aft of the vamp 12B, extending from the transverse tarsal joint to the calcaneus bone, and includes the rear and sides of the upper 12 with a heel counter 12D that covers the heel. The upper 12 portion of the footwear 10 may be fabricated from any one or combination of a variety of materials, such as textiles, foams, polymers, natural and synthetic leathers, etc., that may be stitched, adhesively bonded, fastened, or welded together to form an interior void for comfortably receiving a foot. The individual material elements of the upper 12 may be selected and located with respect to the footwear 10 in order to impart desired properties of durability, air-permeability, wear-resistance, flexibility, appearance, and comfort, for example. An ankle opening 15 in the rear quarter 12C of the upper 12 provides access to the interior of the shoe 10. A shoelace 20, strap, buckle, or other conventional mechanism may be utilized to modify the girth of the upper 12 to more securely retain the foot within the interior of the shoe 10 as well as to facilitate entry and removal of the foot from the upper 12. Shoelace 20 may be threaded through a series of eyelets 16 in the upper 12; the tongue 18 may extend between the lace 20 and the interior void of the upper 12.

Sole structure 14 is rigidly secured to the upper 12 such that the sole structure 14 extends between the upper 12 and a support surface upon which a user stands. In effect, the sole structure 14 functions as an intermediate support platform that separates and protects the user's foot from the ground. In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces and providing cushioning for the foot, sole structure 14 of FIGS. 1 and 2 may provide traction, impart stability, and help to limit various foot motions, such as inadvertent foot inversion and eversion. In accordance with the illustrated example, the sole structure 14 is fabricated as a sandwich structure with a top-most insole 22, an intermediate midsole 24, and a bottom-most outsole 26. Insole 22 is shown located partially within the interior void of the footwear 10, firmly secured to a lower portion of the upper 12, such that the insole 22 abuts a plantar surface of the foot. Underneath the insole 22 is a midsole 24 that incorporates one or more materials or embedded elements that enhance the comfort, performance, and/or ground-reaction-force attenuation properties of footwear 10. These elements and materials may include, individually or in any combination, a polymer foam material, such as polyurethane or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), filler materials, moderators, air-filled bladders, plates, lasting elements, or motion control members. Outsole 26 is located underneath the midsole 24, defining the bottom-most, ground-engaging portion of the footwear 10. The outsole 26 may be formed from a rubber material that provides a durable and wear-resistant surface for contacting the ground. In addition, the outsole 26 may be contoured and textured to enhance the traction (i.e., friction) properties between footwear 10 and the underlying support surface.

With reference now to FIG. 3, there is shown another representative article of footwear, which is designated generally at 110 and portrayed herein for purposes of discussion as a cleated athletic shoe of the baseball pitcher cleat type. Mounted at a forward end of the athletic shoe 110, e.g., spanning across and covering the front exterior faces of the shoe's upper 112 and sole structure 114, is a high-shear-strength, high-abrasion-resistant, and high-elasticity TPU toe shield 130. Although differing in appearance, the athletic shoe 110 and toe shield 130 of FIGS. 3-8 may each take on any of the options and alternatives described above and below with respect to the other disclosed embodiments, and vice versa. Similar to the polymeric shield 30 of FIG. 1, for example, toe shield 130 of FIG. 3 spans across and projects outboard from outward-facing surfaces of both the shoe's upper 112 and sole structure 114. In particular, the toe shield 130 extends in a frontward direction from a forward (cap line) portion of the vamp 112B, across the toe box 112A, down and around a forward (bumper) portion of the sole's sidewall 128, and over a forward edge and portion of a ground-facing surface 127 of outsole 126. In contrast to the toe shield 30 of FIG. 1, which sits on top of a preexisting toe cap and toe bumper (not visible in the views provided), the toe shield 130 of FIG. 3 subsumes the toe cap and toe bumper structure and, thus, may sit substantially flush against the toe box 112A and sidewall 128. Additionally, the athletic shoe 110 of FIGS. 3-5 has an arrangement of fixed, plastic studs or “cleats” 129 projecting downward from the sole 114, whereas the shoe 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 has treaded “tennis shoe” type sole 14 that lacks cleats and is relatively softer and smoother than its counterpart.

According to the illustrated example, the toe shield 130 is fabricated via injection molding, compression molding, vacuum forming, or other suitable manufacturing process as a single-piece, unitary structure. Superficial variances, such as colors, coatings, surface treatments, embossing, graphics, etc., are optional and are not considered to materially affect the basic and core characteristics of the toe shield 130. It may be desirable, for at least some applications, to form the toe shield 130 in its entirety from a polyester-based TPU. Nevertheless, it is envisioned that any of the disclosed polymeric shields may be formed from an assortment of suitable materials that are lightweight, flexible, inexpensive, and resistant to abrasion and water, such as polyether (PE) and polycaprolactone (PCL) TPUs, hard-compound polyurethane (PU), polyvinylchloride (PVC), fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), or any combination thereof. While metallic materials are durable and wear-resistant, oftentimes used as toe caps or heel caps in work boots and safety footwear, they may not be desirable for athletic footwear because they are relatively heavy, costly, and inflexible (i.e., uncomfortable). In the same vein, many shoe constructions are fabricated with a polymeric toe cap and toe bumper, typically formed from rubber or polycarbonate. However, conventional toe cap and toe bumper constructions are not sufficiently resilient to withstand the repeated application of extreme sliding friction that is experienced by some types of footwear, such as tennis, skateboard, and baseball athletic shoes.

As indicated above, the toe shield 130 is formed, in whole or in part, from an abrasion-resistant plastic. Abrasion resistance typically refers to the ability of a material to withstand surface wear, namely the attrition of mass by means of static and sliding friction. Abrasion resistance of a polymer may be determined in accordance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Test Specification No. 4649. In such as case, a test specimen is pressed at a defined force (e.g., 10 N±0.2 N) against a rotating cylinder covered with an abrasive material (e.g., emery paper with corundum particles of grain size 60). Upon completion of a preset number of cycles (e.g., 1000 revolutions of the rotating cylinder), the mass loss due to abrasion wear is measured, taking into account the density of the material and the sharpness of the abrasive material. The abrasion may be given as a relative loss of volume in mm³, or as an abrasion resistance index.

Many TPU materials are highly resistant to abrasion and may experience an abrasion loss of approximately 10-20 mm³ or, in at least some applications, an abrasion loss of 13-17 mm³. Abrasion resistance may be increased with the incorporation of additives (e.g., monomer rubber, TEGOMER® A additive, mineral filler, etc.). Other available supplements may include glass and carbon fibers (short and long), UV and hydrolytic stabilizers, flame retardants, lubricants, conductive and anti-static agents, and barium sulfate. In contrast, the sole's sidewall 128 is formed, in whole or in part, from a distinct (first) polymeric material (e.g., synthetic rubber) with a distinct (first) abrasion rate (e.g., approximately 40 mm³) that is significantly higher than the (second) abrasion rate of the TPU (second) polymeric material used to form the toe shield 130. In the same vein, the upper 112, namely toe box 112A, is formed from leather, textile and/or a (third) polymeric material that is distinct from the material used to form the sole sidewall 128 and the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer used to form the toe shield 130. Once formed, the toe shield 130 is attached to the sole structure 112 and upper 114 via any combination of stitches, fasteners, adhesives, welds, two-shot molding, or other suitable joining technique. In so doing, the toe shield 130 helps to prolong the life expectancy of the footwear 110 by significantly reducing wear to the toe box 112A, vamp 112B, and sole structure 114.

FIGS. 6-8 of the drawings provide multiple perspective views of a representative single-piece TPU toe shield 130 that may be customized and mounted onto an assortment of different athletic footwear. The toe shield 130 is integrally formed with an elongated, cup-shaped main body 132 at the forward-most end of the shield 130, and two arcuate “wing-shaped” flanges 134A and 134B that project rearward from opposing lateral sides of the main body 132. An integrally formed, U-shaped flange 138 (FIG. 8) projects inboard from a forward, lower arched edge that is common to the main body 132 and both the (first) medial and (second) lateral arcuate flanges 134A, 134B. The U-shaped flange 138 abuts and covers a forward, ground-facing surface 127 of the outsole 126. In addition, an arcuate overhanging lip 136 is integrally formed with and projects transversely from the medial flange 134A. The arcuate overhanging lip 136 extends in a mediolateral direction part way across the medial segment S_(ME) of the upper 112 towards the lateral segment S_(LA) (without contacting or covering any portion of the upper's lateral segment S_(LA)). This overhanging lip 136 is shaped and sized to cover at least the distal and proximal phalanges of the first “big” toe and the second “long” toe.

As can be seen from the Figures, in particular FIGS. 7 and 8, the medial and lateral sides of the toe shield 130 have distinct geometric configurations such that the toe shield 130 is asymmetric. According to FIG. 7, for example, the first arcuate flange 134A has a (first) fore-aft horizontal length L1, a (first) caudal-cranial vertical height H1, and a (first) mediolateral horizontal depth D1. Comparatively, the second arcuate flange 134B has a (second) fore-aft horizontal length L1, which is less than the horizontal length L1 of the first arcuate flange 134A, a (second) caudal-cranial vertical height H2, which is less than the vertical height H1, and a (second) mediolateral horizontal depth D2, which is less than the horizontal depth D1. Part of the increased depth of the first arcuate flange 134A is attributable to the integrally formed, overhanging lip 136 that projects transversely from the medial flange 134A.

In addition to having distinct heights, depths and widths, the first arcuate flange 134A may have a first inboard-facing curvature profile that is distinct from a second inboard-facing curvature profile of the second arcuate flange 134B. According to the representative architecture of FIGS. 6-8, for example, the first arcuate flange 134A has a (first) maximum camber C1 while the second arcuate flange 134B has a (second) maximum camber C2 that is noticeably smaller than the maximum camber C1 of the flange 134A. As used herein, “maximum camber” may be defined as the perpendicular distance between the point of maximum curvature of the flange to a straight line drawn from opposite longitudinal ends/tips of each flange. In addition, a (first) vertical radius of curvature RC1 of the first arcuate flange 134A may be greater than a (second) vertical radius of curvature RC2 of the first arcuate flange 134B. The above-discussed structural characteristics are not provided merely for purposes of ornamentation, but rather function to ensure a proper mechanical fit with the underlying footwear as well as to protect key sections of the human foot determined to be most susceptible to injury under given use conditions. It is envisioned that the toe shield 130, including the individual sections thereof, may take on any combination of shapes, sizes, and geometric characteristics to accommodate any desired application or shoe construction.

Turning next to FIGS. 9 and 10, there are shown two additional representative articles of footwear: the first of which is generally designated at 210 and portrayed herein as a soccer cleat (North America) or football boot (Europe and South America) (FIG. 9); and the second of which is generally designated at 310 and portrayed herein as a distinct baseball pitcher cleat (FIG. 10). As mentioned above, each of the athletic shoes 210, 310 presented in FIGS. 9 and 10, including the individual elements thereof, may take on any of the options and alternatives described above with respect to the footwear 10 and 110 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. Similar to the footwear constructions discussed above, the athletic shoes 210 and 310 are each provided with a toe shield 230 and 330, respectively, that spans across and covers select portions of the front exterior faces of the shoe's upper 212, 312 and sole structure 214, 314. In addition, each of the toe shields 230, 330 is injection molded from a high-strength, flexible, and abrasion-resistant TPU material.

By way of contrast to the other polymeric shield configurations, the toe shield 230 of FIG. 9 provides additional for-aft coverage and additional forward perimeter reinforcement with reduced sole structure coverage, which may be more advantageous for persons whom are repeatedly kicking a soccer ball. In particular, the toe shield 230 is shown extending in a frontward direction from a middle (throat line) portion of the vamp 212B, across the toe box 212A, and down and around the top one-third of a forward and lateral portions of the sole's sidewall 228; the toe shield 230 does not contact or cover any portion of the outsole 114. Conversely, the toe shield 330 of FIG. 10 provides additional coverage and protection for the first “big” toe of the user's foot on the medial segment S_(ME) of the athletic shoe 310, but reduced coverage on the lateral segment S_(LA) of the athletic shoe 310. Specifically, this toe shield 330 is shown extending in a frontward direction from a forward (cap line) portion on a medial side of the vamp 312B, across medial and central sections of the toe box 312A, down and around forward and medial portions of the sole's sidewall, and over medial and forward sections the outsole's 114 downward facing surface.

Aspects of this disclosure are also directed to manufacturing processes and protocols for fabricating any of the illustrated footwear and corresponding polymeric shields. In an example, a method for manufacturing an article of footwear, such as athletic shoes 10, 110, 210 and 310, includes receiving, assembling, or forming (collectively “providing”) a shoe upper that is configured to attach to a foot of a user. This operation may include, for example, fabricating the upper from a leather material, a textile material and/or a polymeric material, e.g., through conventional methods of clicking, cutting, sewing, surface treating, hand lasting, foxing, welting, etc. Prior to, contemporaneous with, or after providing the upper, a sole structure is provided and thereafter attached to the upper. This operation may include a molding machine 44 forming a single-layer or multi-layered sole structure through any apposite methodology, such as injection, compression, or vacuum molding, extrusion and cutting, stamping, etc.

Continuing with the above discussion of a representative method for manufacturing an article of footwear, a polymeric shield is formed as a single-piece, unitary structure, e.g., to take on any of the illustrated toe shield configurations 30, 130, 230, 330. This operation may include injection molding the polymeric shield from a polyester, polyether or polycaprolactone-based TPU or any of the other suitable materials mentioned above. To ensure that the polymeric shield will securely mount onto the upper and sole structure of the footwear, the method may further include laser scanning select sections of the upper and sole structure to determine the topographical characteristics of the outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure to which the polymeric shield will mount. In this instance, the interior surface of the polymeric shield is formed and/or machined with surface characteristics that are complementary to the topographical characteristics of the outward-facing portions of the upper and sole. At a high level, the system analyzes scans of each shoe part to generate dimension data, which is useable to generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of the scanned shoe parts. A laser beam may be projected onto each shoe-part surface such that projected laser lines appear on the surface and follow surface contours to create a cross-section of the shoe-part surface. Multiple images of the projected laser lines are then combined to create a 3D model of the shoe part. Additional information regarding automated 3D modeling of shoe parts can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0132038 A1, to Patrick C. Regan, et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.

Once the polymeric shield is provided, it is positioned on the shoe to extend across and cover select outward-facing surfaces of the upper and sole structure. When positioned, the polymeric shield extends across and covers some or all of the toe box, a portion of the vamp, a portion of the sole's sidewall, and (for at least some embodiments) a portion of the outsole. In some embodiments, this may include a ground-facing outer surface of the sole structure (i.e., a surface opposite the upper). After being properly positioned, the polymeric shield is secured to the footwear via stitching, fastening, adhering, welding, or any other now known or hereinafter developed joining technique suitable for the intended application. Prior to forming and mounting the polymeric shield, a resident manufacturing system processor may receive one or more user selections of one or more visual attributes of the polymeric shield over a distributed computing network from a remote personal computing device of the end user. The polymeric shield may be fabricated to include any or all of the selected visual attributes. This may include laser-etching a graphic and/or text onto the exterior surface of the polymeric shield.

An automated, mass-production manufacturing system may include provisions that allow a customer to design any portion of an article of footwear that will be produced by a manufacturer. Many desired types of footwear design data may be controlled, augmented, or customized by an end user, including: a color of any portion of the footwear (e.g., various portions or elements of the upper, midsole, or outsole); graphical data that may be printed or otherwise displayed on any portion of the footwear (e.g., a picture or graphic), as well as data identifying a desired location, a desired size, etc., for the graphic; logo data that may be provided on any portion of the footwear (e.g., a manufacturer's logo, a team, or business logo, etc.), as well as data identifying a desired logo location, a desired logo size, a desired logo color(s), a desired logo orientation, etc.; textual data that may be provided for the shoe (e.g., a slogan, wordmark, servicemark, etc.), as well as data identifying a desired text location, size, color, orientation, font, etc.

Disclosed systems and methods may allow a user to select from a variety of materials or other characteristics for various portions of the footwear, such as different upper material(s), thickness(es) and/or dimension(s); midsole material(s), thickness(es) and/or dimension(s); outsole material(s), thickness(es) and/or dimension(s); stiffness characteristics (e.g., a foam stiffness, fluid-filled bladder pressure, etc.); outsole tread patterns; arch support characteristics; impact-attenuation characteristics; size, orientation, and/or location of openings or windows in the outsole, midsole, and/or upper; laser cutting or etching designs and/or characteristics, etc. In some embodiments, a manufacturing system includes provisions that allow a customer to design a customized wear-resistant polymeric shield for an article of footwear in accord with any of the above options. Some examples of systems and methods for designing or customizing consumer products, such as articles of footwear, by third parties or end users are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,423,426 B2, 8,639,585 B2, 9,269,102 B2, and 9,454,780 B2, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties and for all purposes.

Aspects of this disclosure may be implemented, in some embodiments, through a computer-executable program of instructions, such as program modules, generally referred to as software applications or application programs executed by any of a controller or the controller variations described herein. Software may include, in non-limiting examples, routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular data types. The software may form an interface to allow a computer to react according to a source of input. The software may also cooperate with other code segments to initiate a variety of tasks in response to data received in conjunction with the source of the received data. The software may be stored on any of a variety of tangible memory media, such as CD-ROM, magnetic disk, bubble memory, and semiconductor memory (e.g., various types of RAM or ROM).

Moreover, aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced with a variety of computer-system and computer-network configurations, including multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable-consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. In addition, aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced in distributed-computing environments where tasks are performed by resident and remote-processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed-computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer-storage media including memory storage devices. Aspects of the present disclosure may therefore be implemented in connection with various hardware, software or a combination thereof, in a computer system or other processing system.

Any of the methods described herein may include machine readable instructions for execution by: (a) a processor, (b) a controller, and/or (c) any other suitable processing device. Any algorithm, software, control logic, protocol or method disclosed herein may be embodied as software stored on a tangible medium such as, for example, a flash memory, a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a hard drive, a digital versatile disk (DVD), or other memory devices. The entire algorithm, control logic, protocol, or method, and/or parts thereof, may alternatively be executed by a device other than a controller and/or embodied in firmware or dedicated hardware in an available manner (e.g., implemented by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable logic device (FPLD), discrete logic, etc.). Further, although specific algorithms are described with reference to flowcharts depicted herein, many other methods for implementing the example machine-readable instructions may alternatively be used.

Aspects of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments; those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the precise construction and compositions disclosed herein; any and all modifications, changes, and variations apparent from the foregoing descriptions are within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the present concepts expressly include any and all combinations and subcombinations of the preceding elements and features. Additional features may be reflected in the following clauses:

Clause 1: an article of footwear for a foot of a user, the article of footwear comprising: an upper configured to attach to the foot of the user; a sole structure attached to the upper and configured to support thereon the foot of the user; and a polymeric shield extending across and projecting from outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure, the polymeric shield including an abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material.

Clause 2: an article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the upper includes a forefoot region with a toe box, the polymeric shield extending across and covering the toe box.

Clause 3: an article of footwear of clause 2, wherein the upper further includes a midfoot region adjoining the forefoot region, the midfoot and forefoot regions having a vamp, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the vamp.

Clause 4: an article of footwear of clause 3, wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the sole sidewall.

Clause 5: an article of footwear of clause 4, wherein the sole structure further includes a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole.

Clause 6: an article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the polymeric shield is a single-piece, unitary structure.

Clause 7: an article of footwear of clause 6, wherein the polymeric shield includes an elongated cup-shaped main body and first and second arcuate flanges projecting from opposing first and second lateral sides, respectively, of the main body.

Clause 8: an article of footwear of clause 7, wherein the first arcuate flange has a first length and a first height, and the second arcuate flange has a second length and a second height less than the first length and first height, respectively.

Clause 9: an article of footwear of clause 8, wherein the first arcuate flange has a first depth and the second arcuate flange has a second depth less than the first depth.

Clause 10: an article of footwear of clause 7, wherein the polymeric shield further includes a U-shaped flange projecting from an arched edge common to the main body and the first and second arcuate flanges.

Clause 11: an article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the polymeric shield is attached to the sole structure and the upper via stitches, fasteners, an adhesive, and/or a weld.

Clause 12: an article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the abrasion-resistant copolymer of the polymeric shield includes a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material.

Clause 13: an article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the sole sidewall including a first polymeric material with a first abrasion rate, the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield including a second polymeric material having a second abrasion rate less than the first abrasion rate.

Clause 14: an article of footwear of clause 13, wherein the upper includes a leather, a textile and/or a third polymeric material distinct from the first polymeric material of the sole sidewall and the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield.

Clause 15: an article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the polymeric shield has opposing interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surface being secured to the outward-facing portions of the sole structure and upper, and the exterior surface having a laser-etched graphic and/or text.

Clause 16: an athletic shoe for a foot of a user, the athletic shoe comprising: an upper with an outer shell configured to receive therein and attach to the foot of the user, the outer shell including adjoining forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot regions, the forefoot region including a toe box, and the forefoot and midfoot regions including a vamp; a sole structure attached to a lower portion of the upper and configured to support thereon the foot of the user, the sole structure including a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface and a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole structure; and a polymeric toe shield bonded to and projecting from outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure, the polymeric toe shield being fabricated as a single-piece structure from an abrasion-resistant flexible thermoplastic copolymer, the polymeric toe shield extending across and covering a forward portion of the vamp, the toe box, a forward portion of the sole sidewall, and a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole.

Clause 17: a method of manufacturing an article of footwear for a foot of a user, the method comprising: providing an upper configured to attach to the foot of the user; attaching a sole structure to the upper, the sole structure being configured to support thereon the foot of the user; and positioning a polymeric shield to extend across and project from outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure, the polymeric shield including an abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material.

Clause 18: a method of clause 17, wherein the upper includes a forefoot region with a toe box, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover the toe box.

Clause 19: a method of clause 18, wherein the upper further includes a midfoot region adjoining the forefoot region, the midfoot and forefoot regions having a vamp, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the vamp.

Clause 20: a method of clause 19, wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the sole sidewall.

Clause 21: a method of clause 20, wherein the sole structure further includes a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole.

Clause 22: a method of clause 17, further comprising forming the polymeric shield as a single-piece, unitary structure.

Clause 23: a method of clause 22, wherein the polymeric shield is formed with an elongated cup-shaped main body and first and second arcuate flanges projecting from opposing lateral sides of the main body.

Clause 24: a method of clause 23, the first arcuate flange has a first length and a first height, and the second arcuate flange has a second length and a second height less than the first length and first height, respectively.

Clause 25: a method of clause 24, wherein the first arcuate flange has a first depth and the second arcuate flange has a second depth less than the first depth.

Clause 26: a method of clause 23, wherein the polymeric shield further includes an U-shaped flange projecting from a transversely oriented edge common to the main body and the first and second arcuate flanges.

Clause 27: a method of clause 17, further comprising stitching, fastening, adhering, and/or welding the polymeric shield to the sole structure and upper.

Clause 28: a method of clause 17, further comprising injection molding the polymeric shield from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material.

Clause 29: a method of clause 17, wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the sole sidewall including a first polymeric material with a first abrasion rate, the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield including a second polymeric material with a second abrasion rate less than the first abrasion rate.

Clause 30: a method of clause 29, wherein the upper includes a leather, a textile and/or a second polymeric material distinct from the third polymeric material of the sole sidewall and the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield.

Clause 31: a method of clause 17, wherein the polymeric shield has opposing interior and exterior surfaces, the method further comprising: laser-etching a graphic and/or text onto the exterior surface of the polymeric shield; and bonding the interior surface of the polymeric shield to the outward-facing portions of the sole structure and the upper.

Clause 32: a method of clause 17, further comprising: laser scanning the upper and the sole structure to determine multiple topographical characteristics of the outward-facing portions of the upper and sole structure; and forming the polymeric shield with an interior surface having surface characteristics complementary to the topographical characteristics of the outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure.

Clause 33: a method of clause 17, further comprising: receiving, via a resident manufacturing system processor over a distributed computing network from a remote personal computing device of an end user, a user selection of a visual attribute of the polymeric shield; and forming the polymeric shield to include the visual attribute. 

What is claimed:
 1. An article of footwear for a foot of a user, the article of footwear comprising: an upper configured to attach to the foot of the user; a sole structure attached to the upper and configured to support thereon the foot of the user; and a polymeric shield extending across and projecting from outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure, the polymeric shield including an abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material.
 2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper includes a forefoot region with a toe box, the polymeric shield extending across and covering the toe box.
 3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the upper further includes a midfoot region adjoining the forefoot region, the midfoot and forefoot regions having a vamp, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the vamp.
 4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the sole sidewall.
 5. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein the sole structure further includes a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface, the polymeric shield further extending across and covering a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole.
 6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the polymeric shield is a single-piece, unitary structure.
 7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the polymeric shield includes an elongated cup-shaped main body and first and second arcuate flanges projecting from opposing first and second lateral sides, respectively, of the main body.
 8. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the first arcuate flange has a first length and a first height, and the second arcuate flange has a second length and a second height less than the first length and first height, respectively.
 9. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein the first arcuate flange has a first depth and the second arcuate flange has a second depth less than the first depth.
 10. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the polymeric shield further includes a U-shaped flange projecting from an arched edge common to the main body and the first and second arcuate flanges.
 11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the polymeric shield is attached to the sole structure and the upper via stitches, fasteners, an adhesive, and/or a weld.
 12. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the abrasion-resistant copolymer of the polymeric shield includes a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material.
 13. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the sole sidewall including a first polymeric material with a first abrasion rate, the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield including a second polymeric material having a second abrasion rate less than the first abrasion rate.
 14. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the upper includes a leather, a textile and/or a third polymeric material distinct from the first polymeric material of the sole sidewall and the abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material of the polymeric shield.
 15. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the polymeric shield has opposing interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surface being secured to the outward-facing portions of the sole structure and upper, and the exterior surface having a laser-etched graphic and/or text.
 16. An athletic shoe for a foot of a user, the athletic shoe comprising: an upper with an outer shell configured to receive therein and attach to the foot of the user, the outer shell including adjoining forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot regions, the forefoot region including a toe box, and the forefoot and midfoot regions including a vamp; a sole structure attached to a lower portion of the upper and configured to support thereon the foot of the user, the sole structure including a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface and a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole structure; and a polymeric toe shield bonded to and projecting from outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure, the polymeric toe shield being fabricated as a single-piece structure from an abrasion-resistant flexible thermoplastic copolymer, the polymeric toe shield extending across and covering a forward portion of the vamp, the toe box, a forward portion of the sole sidewall, and a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole.
 17. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear for a foot of a user, the method comprising: providing an upper configured to attach to the foot of the user; attaching a sole structure to the upper, the sole structure being configured to support thereon the foot of the user; and positioning a polymeric shield to extend across and project from outward-facing portions of the upper and the sole structure, the polymeric shield including an abrasion-resistant flexible polymer material.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the upper includes a forefoot region with a toe box, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover the toe box.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the upper further includes a midfoot region adjoining the forefoot region, the midfoot and forefoot regions having a vamp, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the vamp.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sole structure includes a sole sidewall defining an outer perimeter of the sole, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the sole sidewall.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sole structure further includes a ground-engaging outsole with a ground-facing surface, the polymeric shield being positioned to extend across and cover a forward portion of the ground-facing surface of the outsole.
 22. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming the polymeric shield as a single-piece, unitary structure.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the polymeric shield is formed with an elongated cup-shaped main body and first and second arcuate flanges projecting from opposing lateral sides of the main body.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first arcuate flange has a first length and a first height, and the second arcuate flange has a second length and a second height less than the first length and first height, respectively, and wherein the first arcuate flange has a first depth and the second arcuate flange has a second depth less than the first depth.
 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the polymeric shield further includes a U-shaped flange projecting from a transversely oriented edge common to the main body and the first and second arcuate flanges. 